ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Tommy Fleetwood equalled the course record with a 10-under-par 62 to take a one-stroke lead at the Abu Dhabi Championship while Rory McIlroy started strongly Thursday as he bids to seal another Race to Dubai title.

Englishman Fleetwood made a flying start at Yas Links with birdies at the first and third holes either side of an eagle, and maintained his form throughout the round to finish ahead of Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and American Johannes Veerman.

Fleetwood picked up another shot on the seventh before making four birdies in five holes after the turn, closing out with his eighth birdie of the day at the last as he got up and down from the bunker.

“I got off to a great start, I actually didn’t feel like I swung it perfectly early on and I felt like I swung it better as we got into the back nine,” Fleetwood said.

“It was a lovely round of golf to play. Putted amazing, felt like I read the greens so well, beautiful pace control and hit a lot of perfect putts and started holing them.”

“I’m just happy to have got off to a very good start.”